Where to find a good topo map

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Where to find a good topo map

Postby MoleManCOCrawlAholic » Nov 16, 2011 8:16 pm

Does anybody know a site i can download diecent topographical maps or is this something i should pay for?
Ive heard a 7.5 topo map works well for terrain finding, why and whats the difference?
I would like to start plotting approx cave locations on the maps so if anyone has any tips or advice it would be much apprecaited!!
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Re: Where to find a good topo map

Postby John Lovaas » Nov 16, 2011 9:52 pm

store.usgs.gov

The digital data is free.
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Re: Where to find a good topo map

Postby MoleManCOCrawlAholic » Nov 17, 2011 12:17 am

heck yeah man thanks
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Re: Where to find a good topo map

Postby MoleManCOCrawlAholic » Nov 17, 2011 2:40 pm

Is there any kind store i can go and buy a topo map ?
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Re: Where to find a good topo map

Postby Squirrel Girl » Nov 17, 2011 2:48 pm

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Re: Where to find a good topo map

Postby trogman » Nov 17, 2011 3:11 pm

http://maptech.mytopo.com/land/terrainnavigator/index.cfm?infopg=buy

These maps are a little pricey but well worth it. I've been using these for about 10 years and I am totally happy with it. It has a lot of extra features, such as 3D viewing, track and waypoint downloading, and profile views. If you have a large number of cave locations, and you know how to work in Excel, it is possible to set up and download thousands of them into the maps. I did it with Alabama's over 4000 caves.

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Re: Where to find a good topo map

Postby Cody JW » Nov 17, 2011 6:57 pm

I know these are not as good as regular USGS 7.5 topo maps but the free ones on the link at the bottom of The NSS homepage are not bad. They are better than the De Lorme topo program I bought a few years ago . They just do not have the shading.
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Re: Where to find a good topo map

Postby Cody JW » Nov 17, 2011 6:59 pm

I have over 10,000 locations in Indiana , Tenn. Al. on my google earth and use that more than anything .
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Re: Where to find a good topo map

Postby Chads93GT » Nov 17, 2011 8:33 pm

Dude if your goal is to mark cave locations, get the program TOPO for your region. For instance I have MIssouri/Arkansas/Oklahoma, as I cave in Missouri. You can click on and save cave locations as waypoints. To make your locations even more accurate you will of course need a GPS, but it comes in handy when you are project caving, flagging sinks, possible digs, stand pipes in sinkholes, caves, sinking streams, springs, and any other karst related features. It will cost you 40 to 50 bucks, i forget, but they are interactive maps, and if you want one printed for ridge walking, you can print various sections with all your gps coords on them so you know where you have walked, and what you have flagged. Its a really great program. I used to do what you are asking, and download topo maps online but after I got TOPO, i could never go back. Hope this helps you.
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Re: Where to find a good topo map

Postby MoleManCOCrawlAholic » Nov 17, 2011 11:22 pm

yeah i was basically looking for a map i can use while hiking to help refrence where i am and to approx pinpoint areas of interest. thanks for the advice
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Re: Where to find a good topo map

Postby Squirrel Girl » Nov 17, 2011 11:31 pm

Yeah, I like Topo, too. I have about a half dozen states. Much better since they dropped their price from $100 to $50.
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Re: Where to find a good topo map

Postby batrotter » Nov 18, 2011 12:43 pm

I have TOPO Indiana and love it. It has quite a few features as mentioned in an earlier post. And you can upload and download from your GPS.
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Re: Where to find a good topo map

Postby KeyserSoze » Nov 18, 2011 4:57 pm

I use topoquest. It's amazing and free. You can download 7.5 minute topo map quads in high quality tiff files. Also you can search for specific features such as valleys, cliffs, waterfalls, and streams. Enjoy.

http://www.topoquest.com/
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Re: Where to find a good topo map

Postby MoleManCOCrawlAholic » Nov 18, 2011 8:38 pm

KeyserSoze wrote:I use topoquest. It's amazing and free. You can download 7.5 minute topo map quads in high quality tiff files. Also you can search for specific features such as valleys, cliffs, waterfalls, and streams. Enjoy.

http://www.topoquest.com/


Actually the best online site ive been to.
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